Vacuum operated window regulator



July 6, 1943. I R E 2,323,519

VACUUM OPERATED WINDOW REGULATOR Filed Jan. 24, 1941 Q INVENTOR. J g /?0r h. 0mm

BY ag gwxw Patented July 6, 1943 VACUUM OPERATED WINDOW REGULATOR Roy H.Dean, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Ternstedt Manufacturing Company,Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application January 24, 1941,Serial No. 375,710

7 Claims. (Cl. 268-125) This invention relates to vacuum operated windowregulators. Vacuum powered window regulators are old in the art. On ofthe drawbacks of this system of raising and lowering the windows isthat, when the engine stops, the vacuum fails and the windows cannot beoperated.

It has already been proposed to provide vacuum storage tanks to furnisha vacuum even when the engine has ceased to operate butthese areeffective only for a few hours as there are always leaks which tend toequalize the pressures and then the storage tank becomes ineffective.Then, the only way that windows can be raised and lowered is to startthe engine or provide an alternati e operating handle and suitable gearconnections. The latter is undesirable as it involves mechanicalcomplications and expense in providing the necessary mechanism and,furthermore, a handle has to be provided on each door. Body designersand engineers have desired to eliminate some of the control handles onan automobile door as they are quite a problem in getting in the way ofthe steering mechanism and also the knees of an occupant of the seat.One advantage of the power operated window regulator is that the windowregulator handle can, ordinarily, be eliminated.

It is the object of the present invention to provide vacuum power forautomatically operating the window regulators and to have this poweralways available even when the motor has stopped, thus making thewindows operable with out starting the engine and without providingoptional hand operators.

In the drawing:

The figure is largely a diagrammat c view showing the apparatus appliedto a front door equipped with the Fisher No Draft venti ating system.

I designates the door which is shown fragmentarily. 2 is the frontswinging panel and window opening. 3 is the division pillar in which isguided the vertically sliding glass 4 which is raised and lowered by alifting arm 5 fulcrumed at 6. Almost any form of window regulator can beused. Here is shown a common form of lift ing arm which has a slidingconnection in the channel I at the bottom of the window. The power armof the bell crank is pivoted to the end of the piston rod 8 which has aconnection at its other end to the piston 9 which is guided in cylindcrID. This cylinder is pivoted at H to the front door pillar so that itmay accommodate itself to the arc of swing of the power arm of theregulator. A flexible tube l2 connects with the right hand end of thecylinder and a flexible tube l3 with the left hand end of the cylinderto put these two ends of the cylinder alternately in communication withthe source of vacuum or the atmosphere. This is controlled by a valve Min valve casing I5. This happens to be shown as a sliding valve but anysuitable form of valve to accomplish this purpose may be used.

As shown in the drawing: Tube I2 is in communication with the atmospherewhich enters through port I6 in the valve casing and tube I3 is also incommunication with the atmosphere through the passageways I! through thecenter of the valve which lead from below the valve to above. When thevalve stem I8 is pulled up, th piston valve closes the communication ofpassageways H with tube 13 and the vacuum tube I9 is placed incommunication with tube l3 by means of the annular groove 20. It is alsoplaced in communication with tube 21 which leads to the diaphragm motor22. The application of the vacuum to motor 22 causes the two plates 23of a transom rod type of clutch to release the piston rod 8. At the sametime, the vacuum is applied to the right hand side of the piston 9through tube l3 and the atmosphere to the left hand side. This willcause the piston 9 to travel from the left to the right hand end of thecylinder i0, thereby lifting window 4.

If the valve stem i8 is pushed down from the neutral position shown inthe drawing, then first the tube 2| is brought into communication withthe vacuum through passageway 24 registering with the annular groove 20and then tube I2 is brought into communication with the vacuum by theinlet of tube l2 registering with the annular groove 20. The tube i3 nowis in communication with the atmosphere by being open to the space inthe top of the valve chamber which is in communication with theatmosphere through the passageway II to the chamber in the bottom of thevalve casing. Hence, now, the vacuum is applied to the left of thepiston and the atmosphere to the right. If the piston is in a positiontowards the right hand end of the cylinder, it will travel to the leftof the cylinder and pull the window down.

The conduit l9 leads to engine manifold 25. Another conduit 26 leads tothe diaphragm motor 21. When the vacuum in the manifold fails, thediaphragm 28 is pushed to the right by spring 29 closing switch 30 inthe motor control circuit 3|. The switch is shown closed in the drawing.If

valve stem i8 is pushed either down or pulled up,

it will contact terminal 32 or 33, thus closing the circuit to groundthrough the winding 34 of the I solenoid, closing a motor switch 35 andstartin the electric motor M which operates Vacuum pump P. Hence, whenthere is not suflicient vacuum in the manifold, an operation of thevalve immediately starts the motor and the pump, creating a vacuum tofurnish the vacuum to raise or lower the window. When the engine motoris running, the vacuum in the left hand chamber of the diaphragm motor2'! will always keep the diaphragm 28 to the left and the switch staysopen so that the motor M is cut out, even though the valve I8 isoperated. A check valve 40 keeps the line to the manifold closed whenpump P is working.

, The vacuum operated switch 30 is adjustable.

What I claim is:

1. In a vacuum operated window regulator operated from internalcombustion engines, the combination of means for raising and loweringthe window, a control therefor which controls both the engine vacuum andthe hereinafter-mentioned independent vacuum producer, a vacuum operatedmotor having a connection with the engine manifold for causing theatmospheric pressure to operate said motor when the control is actuatedand means connecting with said vacuum motor for producing a vacuumwholly independent of the engine suction when the vacuum in the manifoldbe'comes ineffective to operate the motor and only when the control isactuated to operate the window regulator.

2. In a vacuum operated window regulator operated from internalcombustion engines, the combination of means for raising and loweringthe window, a control therefor which controls both the engine vacuum andthe hereinaftermentioned independent vacuum producer, a vacuum operatedmotor having a connection with the engine manifold for causing theatmospheric pressure to operate the motor when the, control is actuatedand electrically powered means conmeans for raising and lowering thewindow, a vacuum operated motor having a connection with the enginemanifold for causing atmospheric pressure to operate the mechanism,means including an electric motor and pump connecting with said motorfor producing a vacuum wholly independent of the engine suction when thevacuum in the manifold becomes ineflective to operate. the motor, anelectric circuit and vacuum-controlled switch for so controlling theelectric motor and a valve for controlling the application of thevacuum, produced in either way, to the motor to raise or lower thewindow.

5. In a vacuum operated window regulator operated by engine suction. thecombination of means for raising and lowering the window, a vacuumoperated motor having a connection with the engine manifold for causingatmospheric pressure to operate the mechanism, supplementary meansconnecting with said motor for producing a vacuum wholly independent ofthe engine suction when the vacuum in the manifold becomes ineffectiveto operate the motor, a valve for controlling the application of thevacuum to the motor to raise or lower the window and means forautomatically causing the operation of the supplementary means when thevacuum in the manifold becomes ineffective, comprising an elecnectingwith said motor for producing a vacuum wholly'independent of the enginesuction when the vacuum in the manifold becomes ineffective to operatethe motor and only when the control is actuated to operate the windowregulator.

3. In a vacuum operated window re ator operated by engine suction, thecombination of means for raising and lowering the window, a controltherefor which controls both the engine vacuum and thehereinafter-mentioned independent vacuum producer, a vacuum operatedmotor having a connection with the engine manifold for causingatmospheric pressure to operate the motor, means connecting with saidmotor for producing a vacuum wholly independent of the engine suctionwhen the vacuum in the manifold becomes ineffective to operate: themotor and only when the control is actuated to operate the windowregulator, and means automatically setting said last mentioned means inoperation when the depression in the manifold falls below a given point.

4. In a vacuum operated window regulator operated by engine suction, thecombination of tric circuit controlling the operation of saidsupplementary means and including two switches, one of which is closedwhen the vacuum from the engine fails and the other is closed when thesaid valve is operated.

6. In a vacuum operated window regulator operated by engine suction. thecombination of a lifting mechanism, a vacuum motor for raising andlowering the window by means of said lifting mechanism, conduits betweenthe vacuum motor and the source of vacuum from the engine, a valve forcontrolling said conduits to apply the vacuum to either one side or theother of the motor and a pump and electric motor for making connectionwith the vacuum motor when the vacuum in the engine fails and only whenthe control is actuated to operate the window regulator.

'7. In a vacuum operated window regulator operated by engine suction,the combination of a' lifting mechanism, a vacuum motor for raising andlowering the window by means of said lifting mechanism, conduits betweenthe motor and the source of vacuum from the engine, a valve forcontrolling said conduits to apply the vacuum to either one side or theother of the motor, a pimp and electric motor for making connection withthe vacuum motor when the vacuum in the ergine'

